SZA: Broken Clocks (Single) Review

hat I listed with: Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Editor Rating: 10/10

The Bottom Line: SZA has the opportunity to really shakeup the music world, and possibly top the success of Kehlani’s SweetSexySavage

After announcing her new album CTRL and sharing “Drew Barrymore” and the Travis Scott collab “Love Galore,” SZA is back with the album’s third single. Titled “Broken Clocks,” the track starts with a warped vocal sample as it rolls with skittering hi-hats and punchy kick, eventually pulling back to make room for the SZA’s warm vocals.
SZA has proven herself to be a talented storyteller between harmonious melodies with the release of her third single, “Broken Clocks.”

I loves this single so much I couldn't wait until Friday to do review, so here I go. It is very clear that this album is going to have a very different sound from Z, aiming more towards more melodic R&B. Again, SZA’s vocals are a step about what she gave us on that project and there is not hint of autotune to speak of, making her more unique-sounding voice all the more clear. That contrast between the two works really well and shows a lot of growth in her nearly three years of downtime.

The title, Broken Clocks, while referring to the fast-paced life that she is leading, also seems to be referring to the old saying, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” This could be suggesting one of two things: 1) that her decisions are often wrong but her decision to the love the person she’s talking to was right–probably the only right thing she’s done or, 2) that the decision to move on from him was the right things to do. Of course, knowing SZA, she could mean both and that she’s swinging back and forth on the feelings he’s giving her like the pendulum of a clock (which she does in the song).
This is also the third song in a row that has the songstress dealing with some kind of rejection of love, having us thinking this is going to be an overarching theme of this album and that the control that she’s seeking might be control of her love life. All we can do now is wait until the complete project drops and find out.

The SZA new album, CTRL, will be available on June 9.